RAABTA : A collection of short stories

4•

"Allah....kya kar rahe the...kaise gir gaye..." Mehek asked placing pillows beneath his right leg....it had swollen badly.

"Pata nahi....." Rehaan moaned in pain

"Pata nahin?"

"Arre bechara dard me hai...bhul gaya hoga" Nadia scolded Mehek for grilling the innocent boy when he was groaning in pain.

"Ambulance call karein..." Rehaan screamed in pain

The next day Rehaan had captured Mehek's bed with a plastered right leg.

Nadia had asked Mehek to cancel her tickets .... and also called Mehek's cousin to Pune to help him out.

Mehek had submitted both their leaves which had been accepted.. Mehek's was just for a week .

"Tumhare ghar par bata dein?" Mehek asked Rehaan who was having juice.."Rehne dein..unhe koi fark nahi padne wala"

"Tum aisa kyun sochte ho......wo tumhari family hai"

"Family" Rehaan's sarcastic smile made Mehek frown

"Mujhe toh yahi samajh me nahin aata jab bache sambhaal nahin sakte toh paida hi kyun karte hain....mom dad ko kabhi business ke alawa kuch nahin dikha.......mom ko toh phir bhi kabhi kabhi yaad aa bhi jaati thi..."

"Thi?" Mehek frowned

"She is no more......." Rehaan said without any expression

"Toh woh..."

"She was my stepmother aur wo unke bache the...unhi ke jaise " Rehaan grimaced

Mehek was shocked after learning the truth......even after such an atmosphere at home, he always used to wear a pleasant smile in the college. She could see the child behind the man who was craving for love and affection. And out of nowhere, she hugged him......

"Arre aap bahut emotional hain" Rehaan laughed and Mehek could make out how hollow that laugh was.

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"Mai bore ho jata hun yahaan pade pade...." Rehaan pouted making Mehek smile "Yeh lo diary......kuch likha karo...dimaag chalta rahega"

"Aur mere haath pair bhi dard kar rahe hain" his next complaint made Mehek sit next to him

"Hmm...lao daba dun..."

"Arre nahin" Rehaan was hesitant

"Arre ... arre thode shauhar ki sewa kar hi leti hun" Mehek joked and started massaging his left foot.

Rehaan just kept looking at her face which was full of care for him. Never had he seen such care and affection for himself in anybody's eyes.....and who didn't want affection.

Rehaan and Mehek got really comfortable in the coming days....now he would often place his head in her lap and demand for a massage like a kid.

The diary pages were getting filled with his cravings....with his wants...with his greed ..for LOVE which he had got a whiff of and now he didn't want to part with it....Ever.

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Rehaan had got fine and returned to his flat and so had Nadia.

"Acha suno...khane ki chinta mat karna...mai le aaungi....zyada der tak khade mat raho" Mehek was whisking eggs while talking to Rehaan early in the morning....."Haan bas thodi jaldi aa jana......"

"Haan haan theek hai" Mehek smiled at his demand of laddoos.

Rehaan reached office 15 minutes early and saw Mehek arranging her things on the table.